RISE Science — Grade 5

Maya uses a hand pump to blow air into an empty rubber basketball until it becomes firm and heavy. Which statement best explains why the basketball inflates and increases in mass?

• AAir is weightless energy that expands the rubber when pushed inside.
• BAir is made of tiny particles of matter that have mass and take up space inside the ball.
• CThe pump creates new rubber material inside the basketball as it is pumped.
• DAir particles dissolve into the rubber shell, causing the rubber to swell.

Carlos stirs a spoonful of white sugar into a glass of warm water until the sugar grains disappear. The liquid remains clear. What happened to the sugar particles?

• AThe sugar particles were completely destroyed and vanished from the water.
• BThe sugar turned into water molecules and increased the volume of liquid.
• CThe sugar particles broke apart and spread evenly among the water particles, remaining in…
• DThe sugar particles floated up into the air as invisible gas bubbles.

A student tests four classroom objects using a circuit with a battery and a light bulb to see which materials conduct electricity. The results are shown below: • Copper paperclip: Light bulb shines brightly • Wooden ruler: Light bulb stays off • Plastic straw: Light bulb stays off • Steel washer: Light bulb shines brightly What conclusion is best supported by these data?

• AAll solid objects allow electrical energy to flow through them easily.
• BMetals like copper and steel are electrical conductors, while wood and plastic are electr…
• CNon-metallic objects conduct electricity only when connected to large batteries.
• DPlastic and wood conduct thermal energy but cannot be tested for electricity.

Sam has two unlabelled jars containing fine white powders. He wants to identify which jar contains iron filings mixed with salt and which jar contains powdered chalk mixed with sugar. Which combination of tests will best identify the powders without changing their chemical identities?

• ATesting for magnetic attraction and testing solubility in water.
• BHeating both powders over a flame until they burn completely.
• CMeasuring the temperature of the dry powders with a thermometer.
• DChecking if the powders float on top of olive oil.

A science class places four spoons made of different materials—copper, stainless steel, wood, and plastic—into a bowl of hot water (80°C). A dab of butter with a bead is placed on the top end of each spoon outside the water. The bead on the copper spoon falls off first. Why?

• ACopper absorbs cold air from the room faster than other materials.
• BCopper is a superior thermal conductor that transfers heat rapidly from the hot water to…
• CWood and plastic create heat energy inside the spoon handle that counteracts the water.
• DCopper attracts butter molecules through magnetic forces.

Which investigation demonstrates a physical change rather than a chemical change?

• ABaking a cake batter in an oven until it rises and turns golden brown.
• BMelting a stick of butter in a warm pan to drizzle over popcorn.
• CBurning a piece of dry firewood in a campfire until only gray ash remains.
• DLeaving an iron nail in damp soil until reddish-brown rust forms on its surface.

A student pours clear vinegar into a cup containing white baking soda. Rapid bubbling occurs, gas inflates a balloon attached to the cup, and the bottom of the cup feels noticeably cooler. What evidence shows a chemical reaction took place?

• AThe total mass of the materials doubled after mixing.
• BGas formation (bubbles) and a temperature change occurred, producing new substances.
• CThe baking soda vanished completely without interacting with the vinegar.
• DThe vinegar changed from a liquid state into a solid state.

When a light stick (glow stick) is bent, an inner glass vial breaks, allowing two liquids to mix. The glow stick immediately begins to emit bright yellow light without getting hot. What type of change occurs inside the glow stick?

• AA physical change, because liquid is changing into a solid plastic tube.
• BA chemical change, because the mixing liquids react to release light energy and form new…
• CA physical change, because the glass breaking releases stored electrical energy.
• DNo change occurs; the liquids only separate into different layers.

Liam places 50 grams of ice cubes into a tightly sealed glass jar and measures the total mass on a digital balance as 250 grams. After two hours at room temperature, all the ice has melted into liquid water. What will the digital balance read?

• A200 grams, because liquid water weighs less than frozen ice.
• B250 grams, because mass is conserved during a physical change of state.
• C300 grams, because liquid water absorbs extra mass from air outside the jar.
• D0 grams, because melting destroys the mass of ice crystals.

A student measures 15 grams of table salt and 100 grams of pure water. She pours the salt into the water and stirs until all salt dissolves completely. What is the total mass of the resulting salt water solution?

• A85 grams
• B100 grams
• C115 grams
• D130 grams

An antacid tablet (3 grams) is dropped into a sealable plastic bag containing 50 grams of water. The bag is quickly sealed tightly. A chemical reaction produces gas bubbles, causes the bag to puff up, and leaves a clear liquid. How will the total mass of the sealed bag system compare before and after the reaction?

• AThe total mass will decrease because gas is lighter than solid tablets.
• BThe total mass will remain exactly 53 grams because gas trapped inside the bag retains it…
• CThe total mass will increase because the expanding gas adds extra weight.
• DThe total mass will drop to zero once the tablet disappears into gas.

Water in a pot on a stove is heated until it boils vigorously. Large bubbles form at the bottom of the pot and rise to the surface. What is inside these rising bubbles?

• AEmpty vacuum spaces containing no matter.
• BWater vapor (gaseous water particles) formed when liquid water gained thermal energy.
• CAir particles trapped under the metal pot by heat.
• DCarbon dioxide gas created by thermal destruction of water molecules.

A student tests three metal keys made of aluminum, iron, and brass using a bar magnet and a flashlight. Her observations are shown: • Key A (Iron): Attracted to magnet, dull gray reflection • Key B (Aluminum): Not attracted to magnet, shiny silver reflection • Key C (Brass): Not attracted to magnet, shiny yellow reflection Which conclusion about metal properties is supported by this test?

• AAll shiny metals are strongly attracted to magnets.
• BIron possesses magnetic properties, whereas aluminum and brass are non-magnetic metals.
• CBrass is magnetic because it reflects yellow light.
• DAluminum becomes magnetic when exposed to bright flashlight beam.

A mixture contains tiny steel spheres and dry yellow sand mixed together in a bowl. Which tool or technique will separate the steel spheres from the sand most quickly without adding water?

• AUsing a hand magnet to pull out the magnetic steel spheres.
• BHeating the bowl with a burner until the sand melts.
• CUsing a microscope to pick out sand grains with tweezers.
• DBlowing air through a straw to burn the steel spheres.

An iron nail is placed inside a damp paper towel in a sealed plastic bag. After one week, the nail is covered with a flaky, reddish-brown crust (rust), and its mass has increased slightly. What best explains this observation?

• AWater molecules shrank and turned into solid iron particles.
• BIron chemically reacted with oxygen and water vapor to form a new substance (iron oxide),…
• CThe paper towel dissolved into the nail during a physical state change.
• DCold temperatures inside the bag created extra iron atoms from nothing.

Students are testing the hardness of three unknown mineral samples (X, Y, Z) using a copper penny (hardness 3) and a steel nail (hardness 5.5). Their results show: • Mineral X: Scratched by penny and nail • Mineral Y: Not scratched by penny; scratched by nail • Mineral Z: Not scratched by penny or nail Which list ranks the minerals from softest to hardest?

• AMineral Z, Mineral Y, Mineral X
• BMineral X, Mineral Y, Mineral Z
• CMineral Y, Mineral X, Mineral Z
• DMineral X, Mineral Z, Mineral Y

A wad of fine steel wool is placed inside a glass flask filled with pure oxygen gas. The flask is sealed on a sensitive digital balance reading 450.0 grams. The steel wool is ignited with a spark, burning brightly and producing gray iron oxide ash. What will the balance read after the flask cools?

• ALess than 450.0 grams, because burning destroys matter.
• BExactly 450.0 grams, because mass is conserved in a sealed container during chemical reac…
• CMore than 450.0 grams, because thermal energy adds mass to atoms.
• D0.0 grams, because all metal burned into light.

When solid butter is heated gently in a pan, its fixed shape collapses into a smooth liquid that flows across the bottom. What happens to the butter particles during this physical change?

• AThe particles absorb thermal energy, move faster, and slide past one another while stayin…
• BThe particles stop moving completely and shrink in size.
• CThe particles turn into air molecules and float out of the pan.
• DThe particles multiply rapidly to fill the larger pan space.

A scientist has two identical beakers containing clear liquids: Beaker A contains pure water, and Beaker B contains salt water. Which procedure can safely determine which beaker contains salt water without tasting?

• AHeating equal volumes of both liquids until they evaporate completely and checking for so…
• BShining a flashlight through the liquids to see if light turns red.
• CMeasuring the temperature of both liquids with a room thermometer.
• DPouring both liquids onto paper towels to see which one dries instantly.

When a clear liquid solution of calcium chloride is mixed with a clear liquid solution of sodium carbonate, the mixture immediately turns cloudy white and a solid powder settles to the bottom of the beaker. What does the formation of this solid powder (precipitate) indicate?

• AA physical change, because liquids always freeze when mixed together.
• BA chemical change, because a new solid substance with different properties was produced.
• CA physical change, because the liquid evaporated into the air instantaneously.
• DNo change occurred; the powders were already floating in the air.

A plastic bottle filled with 300 grams of liquid water is placed in a freezer overnight. The next morning, the water has frozen into solid ice, expanding the plastic bottle slightly. What is the mass of the frozen water bottle?

• ALess than 300 grams because ice floats.
• BExactly 300 grams because phase changes preserve mass.
• CMore than 300 grams because expansion creates extra water matter.
• D0 grams because cold destroys mass.

Students design an insulated cup to keep hot cocoa warm on a cold winter day. Which design features use thermal insulators most effectively?

• AA thin single-walled copper metal cup with an open top.
• BA double-walled plastic cup filled with trapped air layers and a tight foam lid.
• CA solid aluminum foil container wrapped in wet paper towels.
• DA steel cup attached to a thick iron spoon handle.

Two cups contain equal amounts of room-temperature water. A student drops a whole 5-gram sugar cube into Cup A and drops 5 grams of crushed granulated sugar into Cup B. She stirs both cups at the same speed. Why does the granulated sugar in Cup B dissolve faster?

• AGranulated sugar has a greater total surface area exposed to water particles than the sol…
• BGranulated sugar particles possess more electrical charge than sugar cube particles.
• CCrushing sugar turns it into a liquid before it enters the water.
• DThe sugar cube repels water molecules using magnetic forces.

A student places a slightly deflated balloon over the neck of an empty glass bottle. When she submerges the bottom of the bottle in a bowl of hot water, the balloon inflates. When she moves the bottle into ice water, the balloon deflates. What explains this phenomenon?

• AHot water enters through the glass bottle to fill the balloon.
• BAir particles inside the bottle gain kinetic energy from heat, moving faster and spreadin…
• CHeat destroys air particles, leaving a vacuum that pushes the balloon outward.
• DIce water creates new air particles inside the bottle that pull the balloon down.

Which action results in a chemical change that creates a brand new substance?

• ATearing a sheet of white notebook paper into small confetti pieces.
• BBurning a sheet of paper with a match, producing black ash and smoke.
• CFolding a sheet of paper into a paper airplane.
• DSoaking a sheet of paper in water until it becomes soft pulp.

Earth's systems are divided into four interconnected spheres. Which sphere includes all of Earth's solid rocks, soil, landforms, and molten rock layers?

• AHydrosphere
• BAtmosphere
• CGeosphere
• DBiosphere

Water vapor in the air cools as it rises, forming liquid water droplets that gather into clouds. Which two Earth spheres are directly interacting during cloud formation?

• AGeosphere and Biosphere
• BAtmosphere and Hydrosphere
• CBiosphere and Geosphere
• DAtmosphere and Cryosphere

Over millions of years, the fast-flowing Colorado River cut through layers of solid rock to carve out the Grand Canyon. This landscape formation is an example of an interaction between which two spheres?

• AHydrosphere and Geosphere
• BAtmosphere and Biosphere
• CBiosphere and Hydrosphere
• DGeosphere and Atmosphere

Forest trees take in carbon dioxide gas from the surrounding air and release oxygen gas during photosynthesis. This process represents an interaction between which two spheres?

• ABiosphere and Atmosphere
• BHydrosphere and Geosphere
• CGeosphere and Cryosphere
• DAtmosphere and Hydrosphere

A graph of Earth's total water distribution shows that about 97% of Earth's water is stored in oceans, while only 3% is fresh water. What makes ocean water unsuitable for human drinking without treatment?

• AOcean water contains high concentrations of dissolved salts (salinity).
• BOcean water lacks oxygen molecules.
• COcean water is frozen solid at all depths.
• DOcean water is lighter than freshwater and floats away.

Out of the 3% of Earth's total water that is fresh water, where is the vast majority (about 69%) locked up and stored?

• AIn atmosphere clouds and rain droplets
• BGlaciers, ice caps, and permanent snowfields
• CFreshwater lakes and rivers
• DSoil moisture in farm fields

If all of Earth's water were represented by a 100-liter container, ocean saltwater would fill 97 liters, and ice caps would take up 2 liters. Groundwater would take about 0.7 liters. How much would represent liquid surface fresh water in all the world's lakes, rivers, and swamps?

• AAbout 10 liters
• BAbout 5 liters
• CLess than 0.03 liters (a few drops)
• DAbout 25 liters

Which primary energy source powers the global water cycle by heating surface water in lakes and oceans, causing it to evaporate into the atmosphere?

• AEarth's magnetic field
• BSolar energy (thermal energy from the Sun)
• CGeothermal heat from volcanic rocks only
• DGravitational pull of the Moon

After heavy rainfall over the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, liquid water flows down mountain slopes into streams, rivers, and lakes. Which force directly causes water to flow downhill across the geosphere?

• AFriction
• BGravity
• CMagnetism
• DAir pressure

On a warm summer afternoon, Maya fills a glass with ice cubes and water. Ten minutes later, she notices clear water droplets clinging to the outside surface of the glass. Where did these water droplets originate?

• AWater leaked through microscopic cracks in the glass.
• BInvisible water vapor gas in the surrounding warm air lost thermal energy upon touching t…
• CIce cubes melted and climbed up over the rim of the glass.
• DCold air transformed into brand new hydrogen and oxygen atoms.

Plants absorb liquid water from damp soil through their roots. This water travels up stems to leaves, where excess water escapes into the atmosphere as water vapor. What is the scientific name for this process?

• APrecipitation
• BTranspiration
• CInfiltration
• DSublimation

Utah's Great Salt Lake is a terminal lake with no river outlets to the ocean. Rivers carry dissolved minerals from mountain rocks into the lake. Over time, water leaves the lake through evaporation, but salt remains behind. How do Earth's spheres interact in this unique system?

• AWater moves from geosphere to hydrosphere via rivers, then enters the atmosphere via evap…
• BSalt evaporates into the atmosphere, leaving pure fresh water in the Great Salt Lake.
• CThe biosphere destroys dissolved minerals, preventing salt buildup.
• DThe atmosphere stops water from evaporating so the lake stays fresh.

During a rainstorm, some rainwater soaks down into gravel and sandy soil layers, replenishing deep underground rock reservoirs called aquifers. What step of the water cycle does this soaking describe?

• AInfiltration (or Percolation)
• BEvaporation
• CTranspiration
• DCondensation

Excess synthetic fertilizers sprayed on farm crops can be washed away by rain into local rivers and lakes. This extra nutrient runoff often triggers massive algae blooms that block sunlight and deplete oxygen levels, harming fish. This problem represents a negative human impact on which spheres?

• ACryosphere and Atmosphere only
• BHydrosphere and Biosphere
• CGeosphere and Exosphere
• DAtmosphere and Magnetosphere

To reduce urban flooding and protect water quality, a Utah city replaces solid asphalt parking lots with porous permeable pavement that allows rainwater to seep into underlying soil. How does this design solution protect Earth systems?

• AIt speeds up surface runoff into storm drains, carrying more trash into rivers.
• BIt restores natural infiltration into the geosphere, filtering pollutants and recharging…
• CIt prevents all water evaporation in the city.
• DIt converts urban rainwater directly into saltwater.

Farmers plant rows of native grasses and trees along steep riverbanks to prevent soil erosion during spring flood season. How do these plants (biosphere) protect the riverbank (geosphere)?

• APlant roots anchor soil particles in place, holding the riverbank together against flowin…
• BPlant leaves absorb solid river rock and dissolve it into sand.
• CPlants release heat that turns river water into solid ice.
• DPlant stems block sunlight from touching mountain snow.

Earth's atmosphere contains gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. How does the atmosphere protect living organisms in the biosphere?

• AIt blocks harmful ultraviolet (UV) solar radiation and traps heat to keep surface tempera…
• BIt keeps Earth completely dark 24 hours a day.
• CIt turns all ocean saltwater into fresh drinking water.
• DIt pushes all meteorites into orbit around Jupiter.

Moist air masses blowing east from the Pacific Ocean are forced upward when they encounter the Sierra Nevada and Wasatch mountains. As the air rises, it cools and drops rain on the western slopes. By the time air reaches eastern Utah, it is dry, forming a desert. What is this phenomenon called?

• AThe Rain Shadow Effect
• BOcean Current Circulation
• CSolar Eclipse Shadow
• DGlobal Water Freezing

A student reviews a chart detailing water reservoirs on Earth: • Oceans: 97.2% • Ice Caps/Glaciers: 2.15% • Groundwater: 0.63% • Lakes/Rivers: 0.02% • Atmosphere: 0.001% Which statement is supported by these data?

• AGroundwater contains more water than all glaciers and ice caps combined.
• BThere is more water stored underground as groundwater than in all surface freshwater lake…
• CAtmospheric water vapor is the largest freshwater reservoir on Earth.
• DFreshwater lakes hold more water than oceans.

In arid regions like Utah, farmers use drip irrigation lines buried near plant roots instead of large overhead spray sprinklers. How does drip irrigation conserve water resources?

• AIt minimizes water loss caused by wind drift and evaporation into the atmosphere.
• BIt converts crop plants into saltwater absorbers.
• CIt causes artificial rain clouds to form inside soil.
• DIt stops plants from absorbing water through their roots.

A student drops an egg into a glass of tap water, and it sinks to the bottom. She then adds 4 tablespoons of salt to the water and stirs. The egg floats to the surface. What property change explains why the egg floats in salt water?

• AAdding salt increased the liquid's density, making it denser than the egg.
• BSalt made the egg shell grow larger and lighter.
• CSalt created a magnetic force pushing the egg up.
• DSalt removed all gravity from the bottom of the glass.

When an underground volcano erupts, it blasts tons of sulfur gas and fine rock ash into the atmosphere. The ash cloud blocks sunlight, causing regional temperatures to cool and affecting plant growth. Which Earth spheres are involved in this chain reaction?

• AGeosphere, Atmosphere, and Biosphere
• BExosphere and Cryosphere only
• CHydrosphere and Magnetosphere only
• DBiosphere and Hydrosphere only